Ncuti Gatwa has admitted that he needed ‘thick skin’ growing up in one of the only black families on a tough Scottish council estate.
The new Doctor Who star, 31, opened up in a candid new interview about his upbringing in Oxgangs – a suburb in the south-west of Edinburgh.
The actor was born in Kigali, Rwanda, but fled the 1994 genocide with his parents and they were granted asylum in Scotland when he just three years old.
They first lived in Edinburgh University halls due to his father studying for his PhD there – which Ncuti described as a ‘very bonny’ part of his childhood.
After that he told The Times however: ‘Then my dad finished studying and we moved to the harsh reality of a council estate. That was an education that you can’t get in Oxford.’
The new Doctor Who Ncuti Gatwa has admitted that he needed ‘thick skin’ growing up in one of the only black families on a tough Scottish council estate.
The actor, 31, opened up in a candid new interview about his upbringing in Oxgangs – a suburb in the south-west of Edinburgh (seen as a child)
‘It was hard to be one of the only black families there. But then it gives you tough, thick skin.’
He then joked of what he learned living there, quipping: ‘How to throw a punch and run fast!’
Doctor Who fans lauded his performance as the 15th Doctor after the BBC show returned for its 14th series last Saturday.
Taking to X – formerly known as Twitter – viewers raved that Ncuti was the ‘perfect’ Doctor and that his ‘acting is impressive’.
But he also spoke in his Times interview about his anxiety leading to the show being aired and his continued portrayal of the Time Lord.
He said of his feelings when filming: ‘I really hope I don’t f*** this up. It’s 60 years’ worth of a show that everyone loves. From the moment I woke up to the moment I went to bed my heart was racing.
‘My brain went into overdrive. I was calling the execs. ‘Is there nothing that we can touch up? I can be a bit of a control freak sometimes.’
Fans loved his portrayal of the iconic character as they wrote: ‘Ncuti has the perfect energy for The Doctor his perfect!!!!!’,
He was born in Kigali, Rwanda, but fled the 1994 genocide with his parents and they were granted asylum in Scotland when he just three years old (seen visiting relatives in Rwanda in 2019)
Oxgangs in Scotland is seen in a stock image – the area where Ncuti grew up after arriving from Rwanda
Ncuti and his mother are pictured together in 2020
‘I’m less than five minutes into the new Dr Who and dang Ncuti Gatwa’s acting is impressive.’
Other fans gushed that the Sex Education star is ‘incredible’ and they are excited to see him in more episodes.
‘They’re really good Ncuti is incredible; Okay I’m sold on Ncuti now; Ncuti is so immediately warm & lovable from the jump as the doctor #DrWho; I love Ncuti as the doctor.’,
‘Actually in love with Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor. #DoctorWho; I at least feel like they’re slightly better written than last season. Ncuti’s doing a great job with the character so far too.’,
‘I really like the new Doctor Who. Ncuti Gatwa plays the role with a confidence that I hadn’t seen from Peter Capaldi and Jodie Whittaker. And I liked both of their incarnations as well.’
In the eight pacy episodes full of action, we see the Doctor racing across London on a snazzy 60s scooter, narrowly escaping explosions and monsters with his new assistant Ruby Sunday (former Coronation Street actress Millie Gibson).
Doctor Who fans lauded his performance as the 15th Doctor after the BBC show returned for its 14th series last Saturday (seen with co-star Millie Gibson)
But he also spoke in his Times interview about his anxiety leading to the show being aired and his continued portrayal of the Time Lord
The BBC showed the first two episodes as a double bill. Space Babies featured a Tardis of infants in pushchairs.
The second part saw the Doctor, who is a Beatles fan, take Ruby back to 1963 to meet his heroes, who are recording at Abbey Road Studios in London.
The pair replicate the pedestrian crossing photo from the cover of the Fab Four’s album and the Doctor bursts into song. Later, there’s a story set in the Regency era which Ncuti and Millie dubbed the Bridgerton episode.
Born in Rwanda and raised in Scotland, Ncuti was inspired to become an actor after watching David Tennant in the role.